


blue hydrangeas

by wishingswell



Category: Day6 (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Ambiguous Slash, Historical Inaccuracy, M/M, rich boy!young k, thief!jae
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-12-01 22:37:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20921216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wishingswell/pseuds/wishingswell
Summary: Younghyun's always known he doesn't belong.





	blue hydrangeas

**Author's Note:**

> she's finally here! thanks to the mods over at party of destiny for hosting this fest, there were a lot of bumps in the road but it ended up being a blast~ quick note: this is a historical au but i kept the timing and setting a bit ambiguous so. please take it with a grain of salt. i spent most of my freshman year history class watching music videos on my laptop instead of actually paying attention. 
> 
> beta'd by the coolest human to ever exist, rosa <3 i would be but a useless lump without you
> 
> title from lana del rey's old money

Younghyun stares longingly out of the bay window across the room, gold framing a perfect contrast to the line of orange-leaved trees that run around the back of his family’s house. The silence in the parlor is deafening, punctuated only by the clink of his mother’s teacup against it’s saucer and the nervous drumming of Younghyun’s fingers on the sticky leather of the couch.

“Really, Younghyun,” his mother says, “it’s not so much to ask.”

“It’s impossible,” Younghyun mutters, and his mother arches one of her perfectly penciled on eyebrows. “You’re asking me to pick out a wife like a prize at the county fair.”

His mother snorts. “Please, Younghyun, when have you ever been to a fair?”

Younghyun huffs. “That’s not the point.”

“Well what is, dear?”

“I can’t—I don’t know how I’m expected to just choose,” he sputters. “Why can’t we wait a bit longer, to see if I meet someone?”

His mother sighs like Younghyun is an idiot. “People with our resources don’t just wait to meet someone, Younghyun.”

“Fine. If I say I’ll think about it, may I be excused?”

His mother's eyes him, her gaze containing the hint of a sparkle as her lips turn up at the corners, a sign of her amusement. Younghyun thinks she must have been like him once, full of fire and life, before propriety and his father stole it from her.

“So long as you don’t tell your father I wasn’t hard on you,” she grants, “you may.”

And with that, Younghyun is gone. 

Younghyun knows that he’s supposed to prefer the space greenery of his family’s home to the grey and smog of the city, but something about the motion, noise, and clamor just let’s him think clearly for once in his life. Upstate he feels like he’s suffocating, drowning in expectation and rhythms and propriety—here, he can just be Younghyun, whatever that means on any particular day. 

He’s wandering down a back street near the water and contemplating the merits of throwing himself in the East River when a pair of loud voices catch his attention. Younghyun turns to find the source.

“I thought I told you I didn’t want to see you again, so what are you doing here?” An older man says gruffly, crossing his arms over his work apron. 

“You said you didn’t want my business. How about if I bring you someone else’s?” This voice is younger, and belongs to a tall man in pants just a few inches too short. 

The shopkeeper remains unimpressed. “I don’t see anyone around here besides you.”

“Well that’s because you haven’t met,” there’s a pause, and suddenly the younger man’s eyes are on him and Younghyun is being tugged towards the pair by his wrist. “My good pal Brian! He’s in need, my friend, won’t you help him out?”

“Not if he’s with you,” The shopkeeper glares, looking Younghyun up and down as if appraising him. Younghyun remains silent, too shocked to process what’s happening, never mind a proper response. “I don’t want anything to do with you and your counterfeiting.”

The younger man gasps, placing a hand to his chest in offense. “I would never knowingly give you bad money, I was swindled too! I was the victim of a crime.”

The shopkeeper snorts. “Yeah, right, and my mother’s the Queen of England. Now, if I have to look at you for one more second I’ll call the police.”

“So don’t look at me, look at Brian,” the man suggests helpfully.

“Why, so you can—” the shopkeeper starts, and then the man is releasing Younghyun’s wrist and snatching two apples from the stand next to the shopkeeper. “Jae Park,” the shopkeeper warns. “Don’t you—”

“Run,” the man—Jae—says, and he bolts. Far be it from Younghyun to argue.

It’s a rush, wind whistling past his ears as he darts around street stalls and pedestrians, keeping the back of Jae’s head in his sight. The shopkeeper is hot on their heels, cursing them loudly and publicly, and Younghyun swears he hears Jae laugh before the wind steals the sound away from him. 

Jae’s head ducks under an awning as he turns down an alley and Younghyun nearly falls trying to keep up. The puddles on the ground splash his ankles with murky water but he can’t bring himself to care, too caught up in the adrenaline of it all. 

Ahead, Jae skids to a stop as they come up on what must be an eight foot fence, blocking the end of the alley off from the apartment building behind it. The shopkeeper has turned the corner after them, and Younghyun can hear his voice growing nearer and nearer.

Jae doesn’t seem fazed. He grabs onto the metal bars above his head and hoists himself up, starting to climb.

Well. Younghyun’s already come this far. Shucking off his restricted jacket and tossing it to hang over the fence he begins to climb too, just a few beats behind Jae. Jae sends him a wicked grin over his shoulder, and Younghyun can’t help but smile back. 

They make it over the top and Jae simply lets his body drop, landing in a half crouch on the other side. Younghyun starts to climb down (too chicken to jump), but his dress shoes aren’t meant for climbing and he loses his footing. Luckily, Jae’s hand is there, firm on Younghyun’s side and arm to help guide him down.

“I’ve got you,” he says, and for a moment all Younghyun can do is stare at that handsome face.

Then they hear more yelling, and Younghyun snatches his jacket from the top of the fence before they take off again.

Younghyun realizes they have no destination in mind when Jae stops a few minutes later, having led the two of them down narrow winding streets where they get lost among the crowd. He stops near a lamppost, leaning into it to catch his breath, apparently feeling secure that the shopkeeper has been long left in the dust. Younghyun crouches for a second, elbows on his knees to rest until Jae stretches out a hand and pulls him back to his feet.

“Well,” Jae says, “that was fun.”

All Younghyun can do is laugh, a burst of giggles coming unbidden from the back of his throat. Jae is quick to follow, eyes scrunching into crescents and hand coming to rest on Younghyun’s arm.

When they sober, they’re just as breathless as before, but Younghyun’s whole body feels light and happy.

“It’s good to meet you,” he says, extending a hand for Jae to shake properly. “I’m Younghyun.”

Jae’s nose scrunches. “I think I like Brian better.” Still, he takes Younghyun’s hand, fingertips calloused but palm surprisingly soft against Younghyun’s. “I’m Jae.”

“I gathered,” Younghyun replies, jerking a thumb back over his shoulder. “You know, from the angry man chasing us. Thanks for that, by the way.”

“You’re welcome,” Jae says, voice dripping honey without a hint of sarcasm. “I know you rich people are just dying for a good foot chase every now and then.”

“Us rich people, huh?” Younghyun asks, and Jae’s hungry eyes rake over him. 

“Yeah, I know your type. Spoiled rich boy needs some real excitement in his life after two decades of tea parties and croquet.”

“I’m more of a tennis guy myself,” Younghyun offers, and Jae laughs again. It’s an addictive sound—Younghyun thinks he could listen to it forever. 

“Fair enough,” he replies. “Fair enough. I’m not keeping you from a match, am I?”

Younghyun shakes his head. “I have nowhere to be.”

Jae’s eyes widen a little bit, like his vision just came into focus. “You looking for something to do?”

Younghyun’s eyes narrow in a direct response, and he shoves his hands in his pockets to feign nonchalance. “Depends on what you mean by ‘something.’”

“Nothing big.” Jae shrugs. “A friend of mine is throwing a little party. It’d be a good place to mingle with the common folk, if that’s something you’re interested in.”

Younghyun rolls his eyes. “What do you get out of bringing me? Bragging rights?”

“Of course,” Jae answers like it’s obvious. “I’ll be showing up with the best looking guy in the city. That’s worth bragging about, don’t you think?”

Not wanting to seem too flustered, Younghyun gives an exaggerated sniff. “I suppose.”

Jae’s smile is truly addictive; if it were a drug, Younghyun would be somewhere in a back alley right now, bartering his life’s savings away. The statement is already half true.

“Follow me then, rich boy,” Jae says good naturedly, hands in his pockets as he turns on his heel. “I’ll show you how the people live.”

“I thought I was Brian, not rich boy,” Younghyun says, taking big strides to keep up with Jae’s long legs.

“I knew you’d come around! It really is a good name.”

“Not really.”

“Well, then, you’ll get used to it.”

Jae takes Younghyun down streets he’s never seen before, weaves through crowds of people and street vendors as Younghyun struggles to keep up, eyes too often focused on the buildings that rise on either side of them. There’s people hanging out the windows calling to each other, smoke wafting out over the street, and laundry strung out on lines that run from rooftop to rooftop. There’s just so much to see, and Younghyun can’t keep his eyes off of any of it. 

“Careful,” Jae chides, snagging Younghyun by the elbow and pulling him to the side of the street, out of the way of an oncoming horse and rider. 

“Sorry,” Younghyun apologizes quickly, but Jae shrugs it off. 

“No worries. Just can’t have you getting hurt before I’ve even shown you the fun stuff.”

“God forbid,” Younghyun jokes, preening at the answering ring of Jae’s laugh. 

The place Jae leads him to is a tall building, about five stories, and relatively nice looking compared to others they'd passed along the way. The windows are large and most are open, letting the noise from inside spill out onto the street. The stairs creak beneath their feet when they go up to the third floor, and Jae leads Younghyun down the narrow hallway and to the last door, which must open up to the corner apartment. It's already ajar, but Jae announces their arrival as he swings it all the way open.

"I'm back," he sing songs, "and I've brought company, so be gentlemanly."

"Fuck off," someone answers, right before someone else asks "aren't we always?" 

Younghyun struggles to match the responses to their owners once he has a view of the room, but if he has to guess he'd say the "fuck off" belonged to the man with short hair currently whittling a design onto the leg of a wooden chair and the question came from the man grinning at them from a cot in the corner, propped up on his elbows with long black hair falling into his face.

"Brian, these are the assholes. Sungjin," Jae gestures to the man with the chair, "and Jackson." The man on the bed waves, and Younghyun presses his lips together to suppress a smile. "Assholes, this is Brian. I met him down by the dock."

"And what were you doing there again? Thought Johnson would have called the cops on you by now," Sungjin says, not looking up from his work.

"I resent being called an asshole," Jackson announces, swinging his legs over the side of the bed so his boots hit the floor with a thump. He walks over, reaching a hand out for Younghyun to shake. "Brian, was it? Don't believe anything this guy says about us."

"It's Younghyun, actually. And he hasn't really said much for me to question, anyway."

Jackson gasps in offense, completely ignoring the name issue as he turns to Jae and asks, "You don't talk about us? I'm hurt, Jaehyung."

“Sorry your name hasn’t come up in the past,” Jae checks an imaginary watch, “hour that Brian and I have known each other.”

“Bringing him home to meet the folks after only an hour? Bold move, Jae Park,” Jackson teases.

“I brought him ‘cause I figured he’d enjoy your little get together tonight,” he explains, and Jackson’s eyes light up. 

“Only a fool wouldn’t,” he replies before clapping Brian on the shoulder. “Come on in and get settled then. We’ll break out the gin soon.”

“Like you ever put it away in the first place,” Sungjin mutters from the table. If Jackson hears, he pays it no mind. Apparently struck by a spur of energy, he starts dragging their mismatched furniture around, forming a loose circle. Younghyun waits awkwardly, unsure of what to do, but then he feels the tug of Jae’s fingers wrapping around his wrist. 

“Come to the back with me for a minute,” Jae says quietly, and Younghyun follows without question.

There’s a door past the main room that Jae pushes through easily to reveal a small room, containing only a low bed and a small window draped in a thick curtain. Jae pulls it aside, letting some of the late afternoon sunlight wash the wooden floors in a warm golden hue. 

“You need to relax,” he declares, tugging Younghyun’s jacket out of his arms and draping it over the bed with more care than Younghyun would have expected. “You look so stuffy. You have an undershirt on under that?” he asks, and Younghyun nods.

“Good. You can just wear that then,” Jae says, and Younghyun balks. 

“You want me to meet a bunch of people in just an undershirt?” he asks, and Jae nods.

“Don’t you want to blend in a bit? Right now you just ooze wealth, rich boy, I’m just trying to help you tone it down. Besides, once everyone’s here and we’re drinking it’s gonna get really hot really fast. But,” Jae pauses to shrug. “It’s up to you.”

Younghyun feels heat prick his cheeks, but starts undoing the buttons on his shirt anyway, fingers fumbling a bit when he realizes Jae isn’t going to turn around. Of course not, why would he? He’s still wearing clothes after all—just not as many as he’s used to.

Once he tosses his shirt on top of his jacket, Jae gives him a once over followed by a nod of approval. “Better. You still look a bit stuffy, though. Here.” Before Younghyun registers what’s happening, Jae is reaching forward, fingers running through Younghyun’s carefully combed hair. It’s fallen a bit out of place from the running, but now Jae purposefully pulls strands out to fall across Younghyun’s forehead, brushing his brow bone.

“Much better,” Jae declares when he’s finished, taking a step back to admire his handiwork. “Come on. I’ll bet that in the past two minutes some of Jackson’s guests have already arrived.”

Younghyun snorts in disbelief, but when they make their way back out to the main room he’s introduced to BamBam, his sister Lisa, and Sungjin’s friend Ayeon, who are already making themselves comfortable in the apartment. Jae introduces him as Brian and Younghyun goes with it; after they’ve all settled down and are passing a bottle of gin between them, Jae claps him on the back and commends Younghyun for “acting normal.”

“What does that mean?” he asks, nose wrinkling, and Jae makes a vague gesture with his hand.

“You know,” he says, “not filthy fucking rich.”

Younghyun rolls his eyes. “I do know how to be a person outside of my economic status.”

“You’d be the only one,” Jae replies, taking another drink as the bottle is passed to him again. He raises a hand in greeting as the door opens and more people start to flow in, a few of them holding instruments. They waste no time before they start to play, and Jae takes Younghyun by the hand, tugging him to his feet.

“Dance with me,” he says, and Younghyun shakes his head. 

“I wouldn’t know how,” he replies. His dance tutors covered traditional waltzes, not this fast paced music played entirely on fiddle and brass. Not that he doesn’t like it—he can already feel his heart start to beat in time with the instruments.

“It’s not hard,” Jae says with a roll of his eyes, gesturing to the guests who have just arrived that are already taking the floor. “I’m a terrible dancer and even I can do it.” Younghyun remains unconvinced. “I’ll show you, just come on.”

“Fine,” Younghyun agrees, and then Jae is tugging him out to the cleared area serving as their dance floor, where Jackson already is with a bottle of gin in his hand. There are a few couples, legs slotted together and dancing much closer together than Younghyun is used to, but then Jae pulls him in by the waist and he takes it in stride.

“Here,” Jae instructs, “Just follow what I do. We don’t have to move around much anyway, you’ll be fine.”

“So you say,” Younghyun retorts, but Jae isn’t lying. While his dance tutors didn’t prepare him for this particular situation, they did imbue him with the ability to follow a beat and a good lead, though it’s a bit of a stretch to put Jae in the second category. Younghyun tells him as much, and Jae laughs.

“I warned you,” he says, and Younghyun grins.

Jae was also right about the temperature—the room is warming up as they swing around, both from the amount of people packed in and the motion of dancing. Younghyun can feel sweat start to bead at his temples, but if Jae minds then he doesn’t say anything. 

Finally, he slows, though he nearly regrets it when Jae pulls back to let him speak, mourning the loss of Jae’s body pressed against his. “I need a drink,” he explains, and Jae nods. 

The room is crowded, but they manage to find a perch near the single open window. There isn’t much of a view, but the air is just a bit cooler and that makes all the difference. Jae procures a bottle of something on the way, which is smart because with the way people pack in around them Younghyun doesn’t think they’ll be moving for awhile. 

“So what do you think?” Jae asks when Younghyun’s finished taking a swig, and Younghyun looks around, taking in the people and the noise and the energy of the room.

“I like it,” he says easily. “It’s different. No one’s pretending to be someone they’re not.”

“Do you do that often?” Jae asks, and Younghyun shrugs.

“I do what I have to,” he answers. “I should be asking that of you.”

Jae mirrors his shrug, a smirk on his face. “I do what I have to,” he parrots. Younghyun bumps him with his shoulder, but Jae doesn’t let himself sway. 

There’s a clock somewhere that Younghyun can’t see, and it chimes midnight, leaving him to wonder where the hell the time went.

Looking out the window as if he could see home from here, he says, “I should probably be going.”

“Come on then,” Jae says easily, “I’ll walk you home.”

Younghyun lives towards the outskirts of the city, in a grey brick mansion fenced on all sides with wrought iron. When it was first built, the land around it was owned by people with similar taste and resources, but overtime there’s been so many sales that buildings have started to crop up on all sides. His parents complain as if they don’t still have plenty of space to themselves, but Younghyun quite likes it. It makes him feel less alone. 

The arched street lights flicker slightly as Younghyun and Jae approach, the back of the mansion looming in their sight. 

“This is me,” Younghyun says like it isn’t obvious, his family’s home the only one of its size in sight. He turns, and finds Jae much closer than he’d been expecting.

Jae pauses, rocking back on his heels to give Younghyun some space. Younghyun wishes he wouldn’t. “Well, I have to say you turned out to be excellent company,” Jae says with a smile. “If you’re ever in the mood for some more time with the common folk, you know where to find me.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Younghyun says, trying to maintain a bit of his pride by not seeming overeager. Jae must see right through him, but that’s alright. 

He’s expecting a bit of an awkward goodbye before he has to scale the back fence to avoid being seen, but Jae saves the both of them from that by leaning in and pressing a chaste kiss to Younghyun’s cheek.

“Till next time, then. Come on, I’ll give you a boost.”

If Younghyun felt out of place before, he feels downright strange now. It’s like his life is a movie, silent and colorless, and the time he spent with Jae was real life, full of sights and sounds and living. He’s restless, wandering around the halls of his home like he doesn’t belong. He must be obvious about it, because only a few days after his last escape, his mother suggests Younghyun accompany his uncle into the city for the afternoon to run some errands. Younghyun’s eyes widen as he looks to her across the oak table, breakfast untouched before him. She just takes a long sip of tea, eyes glinting familiarly. 

Younghyun’s Uncle Jinyoung is notoriously easy to distract, which is why Younghyun knows his mother’s suggestion was purposeful. He’s out to buy even more clothes for his already extravagant wardrobe, and after five minutes in the shop has struck up such an in depth conversation with the tailor that Younghyun doesn’t even have to make an effort to leave unnoticed. 

His chest feels lighter as he steps out into the street, letting the cacophony of the city wash over him once again. At first he doesn’t know where he’s walking, and then the surroundings start to grow familiar, his body taking him down the same path as a few days before. There’s a large red brick building to his right, a fruit seller to his left, and sooner than he would have thought a familiar apartment building looms in front of him. 

He takes the stairs two at a time to minimize the creaking, but the floorboards still complain under his weight when he stands in front of the apartment door, nervously shifting his weight as his hand hovers in a fist, ready to knock. 

In the end, though, he doesn’t have to make a decision, because the door is wrenched open and he’s face to face with—Sungjin, Younghyun remembers. He’s saying something over his shoulder, clearly on his way out, but when he turns to face Younghyun his feet still and his eyebrows shoot up.

“Here to see Jae?” He asks, and Younghyun nods. If he knew him better, he might think that slight uptick at the corner of Sungjin’s mouth was a smile.

Turning back into the apartment, Sungjin calls, “Jae! Your rich friend is here!”

“Rich boyfriend, you mean,” Younghyun hears Jackson correct from inside, and Younghyun can see Sungjin roll his eyes as he steps out of the way to let Younghyun in. 

“Leave the kid alone, Jackson,” he says, and Younghyun is almost touched. Before he has a chance to say thank you Sungjin is gone, the apartment door shut soundly behind him.

Jackson grins at Younghyun from his seat at the table. “He doesn’t know how to have any fun. But don’t worry, Jae’s just in the back, he’ll be out any minute.”

Younghyun nods, still standing awkwardly, and Jackson laughs at him. “Come,” he says, patting the wooden chair beside him, “sit. If you’ll recall from the other night, I don’t bite.”

Younghyun flushes, but he moves to sit, and Jackson looks pleased. “It’s not that. I didn’t want to intrude, is all.”

Jackson waves a dramatic hand in front of his face. “Please. We all like you, and there’s no way you could ever be intruding here because we all bring home strays all the time.”

If Younghyun’s expression changes at that, Jackson notices. “Don’t worry,” he says, placing a warm, calloused hand on Younghyun’s shoulder. “You’re clearly Jae’s favorite.”

“Are you talking about me?” 

Younghyun knows he perks up at the sound of Jae’s voice through the door, and he tries to look casual when Jae finally emerges, pulling a white shirt on to hang open over his undershirt. Thankfully Jackson doesn’t give Younghyun away, but he does squeeze Younghyun’s shoulder before letting his hand drop.

“All good things, my friend,” he says, leaning back in his chair. “All good things.”

Jae snorts like he doesn’t believe it—probably with good reason. Choosing to ignore Jackson, he turns to face Younghyun and his expression softens. “Didn’t expect to see you again so soon, BriBri. Are you already dying to hang around with the commoners again?”

“Maybe just the one commoner,” Younghyun jokes, and Jae gives him a soft smile. Jackson excuses himself, though neither one of them pays very much attention. 

“Was everything alright with your folks when you got home the other night?” Jae asks, grabbing a rag off the back of a chair to dry his hands—he must have just been getting ready when Younghyun arrived.

Younghyun shrugs. “It was fine. They barely noticed I was gone in the first place.”

“They don’t know what they have then,” Jae says, and Younghyun bites the inside of his cheek to tamp down his smile. 

“Perhaps,” he says. “Anyway. Did you have plans for the day?”

“Not if you’re staying,” Jae answers smoothly. “We can do anything you want.”

As if on cue, Younghyun’s stomach grumbles, and Jae laughs. “We’ll eat, then,” he says, and Younghyun grins. “Come on, I know a place.”

The place in question is a hole in the wall of a bakery, the counter manned by someone’s very Polish grandmother who exclaims “Jae Jae!” as soon as they walk in and packs them brown paper bags of sandwiches and kolaczkis. The coins Jae hands her don’t nearly look to be enough to cover the food, but she just smiles and pinches his cheek before sending them on their way. 

Younghyun follows Jae without question, content to let Jae walk a bit in front of him for the sake of being able to watch him. His legs are impossibly long, brown trousers cut just a few inches too short to show off slender ankles. His suspenders emphasize the narrow line of his waist, and Younghyun feels like he’s dying to reach out and touch. Another time, perhaps. For now, it’s enough to see how Jae moves confidently through the streets like they’re his own, occasionally calling out greetings or jumping up on stray boxes just for the fun of it. 

Soon enough, Younghyun can smell the brine of the water, and then Jae is grabbing him by the wrist and tugging him towards a stack of empty shipping crates overlooking the river.

Jae hoists himself up before offering Younghyun a hand, but Younghyun just rolls his eyes and pulls himself up on his own, making Jae laugh.

“Point taken,” he says, paper bag rustling as he pulls out his sandwich. “So what do you think of my lunch plans? I’m pretty genius, right?”

“They’re alright,” Younghyun says, but he can’t hide his smile when Jae bumps their shoulders together.

The two of them are quiet for some time as they tear into their food, but soon enough the bags are empty and Younghyun is busy licking stray flecks of jam off his fingertips. Jae’s eyes go wide, and Younghyun has the decency to let his hand drop to his lap, clearing his throat awkwardly. Jae looks a bit embarrassed as well, and Younghyun has to stifle a giggle.

“You know,” Jae starts, “When I said the other day that you’re the best looking guy in the city, I really meant it.”

“This again,” Younghyun says, and Jae knocks their knees together before he can continue.

“It’s true!” he protests. “I don’t know how you don’t have people chasing after you everywhere you go.”

Younghyun rolls his eyes. “No one cares that much, Jae.”

“Well they should,” he says. “They don’t know what they’re missing.”

“How do you always know what to say, huh?” Younghyun asks, and Jae grins wickedly.

“It’s one of my many talents,” he replies, and Younghyun snorts.

“Oh yeah? I’d like to see the rest of them. So far all you seem good at is running your mouth.”

Jae feints like he’s going to shove Younghyun off the crate, and Younghyun laughs a raucous belly laugh—he can’t remember the last time he’s laughed like that.

“Rich boy has the jokes, huh?” Jae taunts, poking his fingers into Younghyun’s sides to make him shriek. 

Younghyun gasps for air, wriggling out of Jae’s reach. “I was nicer before boarding school. It’s a dog eat dog world upstate.” He tries to keep the smile off his face, and fails entirely. Luckily, Jae seems to think it’s funny too.

“I’m sure it was so hard for you, with your nannies and tutors and silver spoon.”

“They’re not so easy on the teeth,” Younghyun quips.

“Oh my god,” Jae says, devolving into laughter and too tired to attempt to shove Younghyun again. “You’re a menace, truly.”

“I do my best.”

When Jae’s laughter dies down, he gets serious. “You know, I don’t really know that much about you.”

Younghyun snorts. “You know things. We talked the other night, and you’ve seen the house I grew up in. Does that count for nothing?”

“You didn’t tell me anything interesting,” Jae presses. “You gotta let me in on the good stuff.”

Younghyun rolls his eyes. “Fine, you want the deep stuff? The first time my father took me hunting, I was ten years old. I fell off my horse and twisted my knee the wrong way, and sometimes it still hurts so bad I can’t walk that day. Anyway. I think I’ve been disappointing him ever since then.”

Jae lets out a loose whistle. “You don’t hold back, do you Kang?”

“Nope,” Younghyun answers. “Your turn now. Tell me something interesting about you.”

“Would you believe me if I said I’ve been a thief since birth?” Jae asks, and Younghyun can’t help but laugh. “Fine. I have a sister who is ten years older than me and she’s the one who raised me. Believe it or not, she kept me on a tight leash.”

“So how did you end up in your line of work?” Younghyun probes.

“School wasn’t for me,” Jae answers easily. “I wanted to be a musician but stealing pays the bills, you know?”

Younghyun hums, because he thinks he understands. “You’d make a handsome musician,” he says, and Jae snorts. 

“You’re just saying that ‘cause I bought you food,” he replies.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Younghyun teases. Jae reaches over, casually linking their fingers together like it’s the easiest thing in the world.

“Yeah, I would,” he says, and Younghyun tries not to flush so hard. 

The words flow easily between them after that, and when Younghyun goes home with Jae as night overtakes the city, that feels easy too. Jae’s hands feel like they belong on Younghyun’s skin, Younghyun’s mouth like it’s made for Jae’s name. It shouldn’t be this simple, he thinks. But it is. 

The beauty of Jae not having a real job, Younghyun thinks, is that he’s almost around. Whenever Younghyun manages to escape into the city Jae is always there, or very shortly makes himself available as soon as he knows Younghyun is looking for him. It’s a rare occasion when he has something he can’t be torn away from, but this happens to be one of them. 

“I have a job,” is all Jae says at first, pulling a shirt over his head. “I’ll see you after?”

“And when would that be, exactly?” Younghyun asks, trying not to sound too needy.

Jae sees right through him, leaning in to kiss his cheek with a laugh. “If you’re so desperate to see me, you could come along and help out. I can always split the profits with you.”

Younghyun can see the moment Jae realizes what he’s said, because his eyes widen slightly before he tries to play it off. “Not that you need the cash,” he snorts. “But it could be fun.”

Younghyun places a gentle hand on Jae’s arm until he stills. “It’s okay,” he says softly. “Maybe next time.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Jae replies, and then he’s pressing a chaste kiss to Younghyun’s lips before heading out the door. 

There isn’t another time. After that, neither of them make the mistake of forgetting where Younghyun comes from. 

Younghyun’s back sticks to the bed sheets with sweat despite the cold air outside, skin running hot as a furnace like always. Just a moment earlier, Jae joked that he runs hot enough to light a cigarette, and Younghyun isn’t inclined to disagree.

Said cigarette is being passed between them, Younghyun’s elbow jamming into Jae’s ribs when the other forgets to pass it back after a while.

“You know,” Jae says when it’s finally Younghyun’s turn for another drag, “you’re always over here. And I get that the whole point of this is escapism for you, but it just doesn’t seem fair, you know?”

Younghyun snorts. “Just say whatever the hell you want.”

“I want you to show me your life.” Younghyun lets the cigarette off his lips, taking in a deep breath of hazy late summer air. “I know you hate it, and I don’t want you to feel like I’m sending you back or anything, but I don’t know. I guess I’m just curious. You’ll share everything else with me except your family.” Jae is for once genuine, and it’s a little heart wrenching to hear him speak like this, with no hint of sarcasm or jokes. 

“What, you wanna see what it’s like to be rich for a day?” It’s cruel, but Younghyun is only half joking. 

“No,” Jae answers easily, and Younghyun knows he’s being candid. “I wanna see what it is that makes you hate it so much.”

“Okay.” Younghyun finds himself surprised by his own answer. Then he laughs as the irony strikes him, Jae giving him a curious look. “You took me to a party the first day we met, so I’ll return the favor. My parents are hosting next Friday night. That work for you?”

“Works just fine,” Jae answers, and then he steals the cigarette back from Younghyun and all is right with the world again. 

It’s a bit like playing dress up, Younghyun thinks. Though he once may have belonged to this life, he’s pretty sure those days are soundly over, so as he gets ready with Jae it feels an awful lot like the games he played as a child where someone was the sheriff and someone was a cowboy. 

It’s fortunate Younghyun has a cousin with Jae’s build, because his clothes slip on him like they’ve been tailored to his frame, except there’s no expense required. Hyungwon also doesn’t ask any questions when Younghyun asks to borrow his clothes, which is an extra plus. They have a cover story, but not having to use it is even better. 

Once he’s clean and dressed with his hair combed out, Jae looks like he belongs in this house—perhaps more than Younghyun ever did. His shoulders straighten out, his habit of fluttering around disappearing for the evening. Younghyun mourns—the blinking and quick movements of his hands are truly adorable. Still, the more confident Jae looks, the better. Younghyun doesn’t want to have any hiccups in the evening. 

“How do I look?” Jae asks, doing an exaggerated spin and grinning at Younghyun with his arms out. 

“Like a prince,” Younghyun answers, and Jae knocks their shoulders together.

“Liar,” he says, and Younghyun shakes his head with a smile.

“You’d better watch out tonight,” he counters. “All my aunties will be asking for your family name so they can set you up with their daughters.”

Jae takes the cue to neatly rehearse his cover. “I’m Jaehyung Park, of the Park’s construction family. My father has recently fallen ill, so I’ve moved back to the city to be closer to him. Before this, I was out West making deals on some land, which is why they haven’t seen my handsome face before.”

“Perfect,” Younghyun says, reaching out to straighten Jae’s lapel one last time. “This is gonna be fun.”

Jae’s eyes flash with mischief as he grins, showing off his canines. “It always is with you, BriBri.”

“Younghyun, for tonight,” Younghyun corrects smoothly.

“Younghyun,” Jae repeats, and the sound of his given name coming from Jae’s mouth sends a shiver down Younghyun’s spine. 

“Alright then,” Younghyun says, pulling back and clearing his throat. “Into the snake pit we go.”

“They can’t be that bad,” Jae protests.

He’s quickly proven wrong. The moment they step into the main room where a bunch of well dressed men and women are milling about, all eyes snap to the newcomers.

An aunt is the first to approach. “Younghyun, dear,” she gushes, hand reaching for Jae’s forearm. “Who is this handsome friend of yours?”

“Jaehyung Park, ma’am,” Jae introduces himself, and he takes the liberty of pressing a kiss to the back of the woman’s gloved hand. She flutters at the gesture; Younghyun has to resist the urge to roll his eyes. 

“Would that be Jaehyung Park of the Woodhaven Parks?” she asks, and Jae shakes his head with a smile.

“No ma’am, I was born and raised in the East Village,” he answers easily, lying like he was born to do it. 

It’s a good enough answer for Younghyun’s aunt, who takes it as an invitation to start telling Jae all about Younghyun’s cousin, Nayeon, surely he’s mentioned her? Younghyun slips away to get a drink—he has a feeling they’ll both be needing one soon enough. 

His mother finds him as he’s pouring a glass of brandy. “So early in the night for that, Younghyun,” she says, though she makes no move to actually stop him.

“I do hope you’ll forgive me,” he answers, lifting the glass to his lips to hide his expression. Turning, they stand side by side, facing the wide room full of people that neither of them has any real desire to socialize with. 

“Your friend seems to be having a good time,” she comments, and Younghyun looks to where two more aunts and his Uncle Jinyoung have descended upon Jae. To his credit, Jae seems to be taking it in stride, if the laughs of his company are anything to go by.

“Well you do throw a good party.” Younghyun turns to smile at his mother over the rim of his glass. “I’m sure he’ll enjoy himself.”

“But will you?” she asks.

Younghyun hums. “As much as I ever do,” he answers diplomatically.

“I do wish I knew how to make you happy, Younghyun.” She’s not looking at him when she says it; she’s looking pointedly at Jae. It’s clear to Younghyun, then, that Jae is so good at what he does because he’s like the goddamn sun—you can’t help but be pulled into his orbit as he lights up everything around him. 

“So do I, mother,” Younghyun says, pushing off the table and making for the center of the room, as if gravity is pulling him back to Jae. “So do I.”

The crowd doesn’t part for him but Jae seeks him out, reaching out to draw Younghyun in with a hand on his shoulder. “None for me?” he asks, pointing to the glass of brandy still in Younghyun’s hand. Shit.

“Soon. I’ll get you one with the next round,” he says, smiling sweetly. Jae has the sense to look concerned with Younghyun’s attitude about alcohol consumption so early in the evening, but Younghyun’s relatives quickly redirect the conversation. 

“Younghyun, where did you find such a good man? With all the time you spend down by the docks we all thought you were making friends with beggars and thieves.” Jae nearly chokes on air trying to hide his laughter, but Younghyun just takes another sip of his drink.

“Sometimes you find good people in unexpected places,” is his cryptic answer, which his uncles clap him on the back for. 

“Say, Jaehyung, has Younghyun told you about his upcoming engagement?” one of them asks, and Younghyun feels his heart still for a moment. Jae looks to him with wide eyes.

“No,” he answers carefully. “He hasn’t mentioned anything about it, actually.”

This is apparently funny to their company. “Poor boy has three girls from three good families already approved for him and he just can’t choose! You seem like a reasonable man, Jaehyung, I’m sure you’ll be able to speed the process along. Younghyun just needs some encouragement.”

“Yes, and how we all would love to see him married before his poor father is old and grey,” an aunt chimes in, and Younghyun wants to melt into the ridiculously plush rug beneath his feet. 

“Ah, well,” Jae says diplomatically, a smile on his face that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Perhaps he’s just nervous. I’m sure it’ll happen, given time.”

“We can only hope,” someone replies with a smile, and Younghyun feels sick. It’s a joke to them, a silly thing to laugh over and gossip about like it isn’t Younghyun fucking life they’re talking about. 

Jae notices, brushing Younghyun’s elbow and shooting him a concerned glance that goes unnoticed by their company. He’s good like that. Younghyun smiles, close lipped, and takes another sip of his drink. 

The rest of the evening is much the same. Jae and Younghyun make the rounds, though Jae says nothing when Younghyun surreptitiously steers them away from his father any time they get too close. That’s not something he feels equipped to deal with, and Jae seems to have no qualms with that.

For the most part, the party is generally unenjoyable, but the part that makes Younghyun stay is watching everyone fawn over Jae. They can’t help but love him, laughing at his bad jokes and inviting him to every social event being held in the next six months. Younghyun still hates being there, hates having to talk about his plans to become more involved in the family business (nonexistent) or his decision on who to propose to (not happening), but getting to watch Jae be loved? That is a privilege. 

Younghyun’s still a little buzzed when the party starts to wind down, Jae having cut him off from the alcohol about two hours ago. His mother tugs him into line by the door, placing herself between Younghyun and his father so they can bid their guests goodbye like gracious hosts should. When all of the important people have left he shoots her a look, and she shoos him away.

He finds Jae again out on the balcony, arms resting on the railing as he looks out into the trees that surround the property. “Hey,” he says quietly, and Jae reaches out without looking, fingers wrapping around Younghyun’s wrist in a way that is all too familiar as he tugs him to the railing.

“How are you holding up?” he asks, concern bleeding into his voice, and Younghyun just sighs.

“I’m tired,” he answers. “It’s probably time you go home.” Younghyun knows he sounds defeated, but he can’t bring himself to put up a front anymore. Right now, all he can think about is how good it will feel to be out of these clothes and going to sleep, where he doesn’t have to spent his time remembering how very much he does not belong.

Jae finally looks at him, briefly biting down on his lower lip before he says, “come with me.” When Younghyun balks, he’s quick to add on. “You can stay, if you want to. But I know you, BriBri, and I don’t think you want to.”

It’s the name that does it. The name that wasn’t Younghyun’s to begin with, but given to him by someone he loves. Being called Brian feels more right than Younghyun ever did.

“Okay,” he agrees. “You’re right. Let’s go.”

Jae is quick to lead him out before anyone catches them leaving the house Younghyun is supposed to sleep in, palm wrapped around Younghyun’s in a way that is grounding. 

They way to Jae’s building is so familiar that Younghyun thinks he could have found it just fine without Jae to lead him, but he’s thankful for Jae’s presence nonetheless. They don’t talk as they make their way home (home, Younghyun thinks, is the right name for it), but they don’t need to. The silence says enough about the evening.

Sungjin is snoring away in the front room when they reach home, Jackson nowhere to be seen. They make their way to the back room as quietly as they can, and when the door shuts behind them Younghyun falls onto the bed with a sigh, hands braced on the mattress on either side of him.

“Hey,” Jae says, scooping one up easily and lacing their fingers together so he can sit, pressed up against Younghyun. Younghyun leans his weight into Jae in thanks. 

“Hey yourself,” he answers, wishing his exhaustion wasn’t so evident in his voice.

“Hey,” Jae repeats. “You wanna know what I think?”

Younghyun squeezes his eyes shut, sighing softly. “What do you think, Jae?”

“I think those people don’t know you at all,” Jae answers confidently. Younghyun takes a shaky inhale, and Jae continues. “I think that—that person, the Younghyun that they were talking to all night—he’s not you. You are so much more than they could ever expect of you, you gotta know that.”

“I know,” Younghyun answers, though he remains unconvinced. Jae can tell.

“Stay with me,” he says, and Younghyun opens his eyes again to look at him in confusion.

“I figured I was staying the night, considering I’m already here and all,” he answers, and Jae bumps his shoulder.

“Asshole,” he mutters, and Younghyun can’t help but smile. “I didn’t mean tonight. Well I did, but only because tonight would be included in ‘every night’, which is what I really wanted to ask you.”

Younghyun knows his eyes must go comically wide. “You mean I could live here? With you?”

“That’s kind of what I’m asking you to do, yeah,” Jae says, trying to hide his smile. “I know your parent’s place is a hell of a lot nicer than this dump, but you always say you hate it there and I want you to be happy so. Come live with me. Unless you’d be happier staying with your family, in which case—”

“No,” Younghyun cuts him off. “No take backs, you asked me to live here and I’m saying yes.”

Jae laughs, looping his arm around Younghyun’s shoulders without letting their hands disconnect, Younghyun’s arm dragged along to wrap across his own chest. “How long do you think we have until they notice you haven’t come back?”

“I give them two days, at least,” Younghyun jokes. “Which gives me enough time to call in a favor I’ve been saving.”

“Oh?” Jae asks, eyebrows raising.

“My uncle has a place in the country. I’m sure if he told my parents I was vacationing up there for a few weeks, they’d have no reason to complain. By the time they realize anything is amiss, we can be long gone.”

“Sounds like you’ve been thinking about this,” Jae murmurs, close enough to Younghyun’s ear to make him shiver.

“I was hoping you’d ask,” Younghyun admits. “I’m not sure I would have the courage to leave without you.”

“I think you’d have done it anyway,” Jae says, “even if you’d never met me. You’re braver than you think.”

“Maybe,” Younghyun replies. “I’m glad I didn’t have to, thought.”

“Yeah.” Jae grins. “Me too.”

In the morning, they’ll return to that house for the last time, gather their things and figure out where to go from there. In the morning they’ll make a plan, start a new life while mourning the old one. In the morning, things will change.

But for now, they’re content to sit in a dark, cramped bedroom wrapped up in each other’s arms, letting tomorrow be nothing but endless possibilities.


End file.
